Method of making alpha brush for cleaning boiler and condenser tubes



Oct. 18, 1932. G B, VROOM 1,883,425

METHOD OF MAKING A BRUSH FOR CLEANING BOILER AND CONDENSER TUBES Filed NOV. 30, 1929 OIII: I :0

' WW Ff// 9% I g B Y yak-image I ATTORNEY L Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f GUYSBERT B. vnoolvr, or NEW YORK, 11. Y;

' METHODOF MAKING A BRUSH FOR CLEANING BOILER AND CONDENSER TUBES Applicationfiled November 30,1929. Serial No; 410,840,-

(GRANTED unnnarnn ACT or muons, 1883, as AMENDED APR L so, 1925; 3760. e. 751) Heretofore the bristles of brushes for cleaning the Water or otherv deposit or scale from condenser, boiler and-liketubes have been formed of individual wirescut to length and assembled into groups each'of a number of wires'corresponding to the'desired thick: ness of each group. Each such group is then bent double, or otherwise arranged, and se cured to the body'of the brush; The cutting to length, a'ssemblingginto groupsand the handlinglof each group ofloose wiresare tedious operationsrequiring time and much cost.

hard labor which increases theirproduction An object of my-present invention is to pro-f videfsuch method and apparatus that the assembly of themultiple wires formingeach group may bedispensed with'and thateach such group of multiple Wires may be cut and handled as quicklyiand readily asueach single the practice prevallmg' g r cleaning brush to size; and

wire'thereofwas by before my lnvention.

5 A further object of-myinvention is to p o v after their securing: means haslbeen severed vide air app aratus which efiioiently clean boiler and condenser tubes enable the apparatus to be constructed at substantially lesser.

production cost and enable thepartsIt-obe readily replaced by those even 'of rel atively little, if any,-skill in the art."

To attain these and other objects, and

accordance with thegeneral features of this unitary invention of related and interdependent components, my improved method contemplates the various steps hereinafter stated; To demonstrate the practical utility of a my saidmethod, a, related, improved and to those skilled in the art, of the facility with which, after becoming-familiar with my invention, the many forms-and kinds of crust mg apparatus, with or without substantial.

modification, maybe employed in the efficient practice of my method. Said provided ap paratuscontemplates and includes the general features and constructions which will be hereinafter stated. r

I body 14.

body.

"my cleaning apparatus;

Figure 2 is a view of a portion of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a central, longitudinal pla n' y ew o-ffmy boiler and condenser tube clean-1 mg apparatus; 7 v 1 f Figure 4- is an end elevation view thereof, 7 F gure 5' illustrate theftr'immin'g of the Figure '6 illustrates single group of wir s to show their resultantf securem ent Z the Figure 7 ;is' a diagrammatic view of body showing its'periphery developed into a flat plane to illustrate therelative'positions of the'openings extendingthrough the brush One step of my method contemplates and,

mcludes the association with such cleaner of a wire cable 10 of a size desired to substantially conform to thediamet-er of each the production of such cleaner.

-xThe strands of the cable 10 are;v then secured together ata plurality ofpoints in the 1 length of such cable. Said strands maybe group of bristles desired to be employed in securedv together by solder 11 applied at a:

pluralityof points along said cable, or the same may be secured together by any, other suitable means. The securing means 11, is adaptednot to substantially increase thdi ameter of the cable 10. The securing means 11* is applied to the cable 10 preferably at: points corresponding to the length of'the bristles d i to be assembled into thef'lo o cleaning brush, and which length exceeds the bristle length in the completed brush.

The cable 10 is then severed into lengths,

such points of severance being preferably within and near the center of the area of the cable 10 whose strands are secured by said means 11. Such severance of cable provides cable lengths 12, one of which 1s .11- lustrated in Figure 2. Such lengths 12 have saidsecuringmeans 11 at opposite ends prefbrush has drilled therethrough a plurality of holes of .suchsize preferably that, they form a tight fit for the cable lengths 12.

By the first and second stated steps of method I retain the cable windmg stress n the component cable wires, so that the indlvidual wires are retained in intimate association in substantially less diameter than the Wires would normally assume 1f loose.

' The securing means 11 enables each length 12 to be handled as, if not more conveniently, 'than, a single strand of such cable, as well as facilitates each length 12 being driven into its corresponding'hole extendingsubstantially radially through the cylindrical brush body 14. Each cable length 12 is adapted to have'a surface lengthwithin the solder :or'other' securing, means 11. This is more definitely illustrated in Figure 2 by the dotted lines 15, each of which are at a point removed from said solder or other securing means 11, andwhich lines 15 represent the length of each group of bristles designed to be used in the body 14.

As each len'gth'12 is driveninto its corresponding hole in body 14 so as to project preferably substantially equally from opposite sides thereof, the projecting ends of cable length 12 areieach severed substan tially at the dotted line 15. Said severance removes the solder or other securing means 11 as a by-product of the brush and loosens the several strands of length 12, which strands in their tendency to expand become more firmly fixed in each of their respective holes I through the body 14, due to the projecting ends of the length 12 each tending to progressively increase indiameter from the surface of body 14 toward the ends of each length 12. However, I prefer not to trim the sections 4 1 l2 as they are driven into place in the brush body 14, but after all the sections 12 are thus mounted to project substantially equally from opposite sides of body 14, the body 14 is mounted between the centers of a grinding machine and the sections12 are ground by" 05" grinding wheel 20 to the proper diameter illustrated between the dotted lines 15 in Figure 2. In the grinding of the sections 12 their soldered ends, including securing means 11, are thus removed, which permits the individual wires of each section 12 to relax from their normal tight wound wire cable condition. This relaxation tends to cause the individual wires of each section 12 to become more firmly fixed in and throughout the lengths of their respective holes 12a, as well as to flare at their respective opposite ends which project from said holes 12a. This flaring also tends to secure said wires into theirrespective holes 12a.

The holes 12a are drilled radially through the body 14 of the brush in any desirable number to afford the required area of wire bristles. The diameter of holes 12a is such that the normally tight Wound wire cable 10, desired to be used for each separate group of bristles, may be driven into such holes to such extent that eachsection 12'thereof, so driven, will project substantially uniformly from opposite sides of the brush body 14. j

The preferred form of the brush and its body 14' is cylindrical. The holes 12 drilled radially completely through body 14 tightly hold each of their sections'12 of wire cable 10 .even when the strands thereof are unlayed to the extent permitted byv the trimming off the opposite secured ends 11 of each section 12. While each of these units 12 of separate bristles eachin their respective holes 12a are hard tight, in the sense that they are a serviceable" unit substantially fixed'with the brush body 14, yet each such bristle unit is capable of longitudinal movement in its hole 12a to accomplish the self centering of the brush when in use with the opposite ends of each said unit engaging, with substantially equal force,the opposite walls of the boiler or condenser tube to becleaned.

The brush body 14 with its bristle units 12 are intended to be rotated within the tube to be. cleaned by the motor driven flexible cable boiler tube cleaning apparatus, the same may be rotated otherwise or longitudinally reciprocated or rotated and reciprocated or otherwise moved relative to the tube being cleaned thereby.

In round brushes in which the bristles are radial and extend through the brush and the opposite ends of each bristle are adapted to be in cleaning association, it involves a substantial problem to obtain an adequate number of bristles and sufficient support therefor.

The difliculty of such attainment resides in the fact that while the periphery of the brush body is very extensive its center or neutral axis, through which all the bristles pass, is quite limited and such limitation fixes the maximum amount of bristles on the periphery. The preferred method I have devised,

for overcoming said difliculty is illustrated in Figure 7 showing diagrammatically the body tical sides may be visualiz edas' being joined. together to make the'cylindrical body 14,but

its'fiat diagram discloses most: readily my preferred method of arranging the bristle" holes 12a. The length of each hole 12a, the.

extent between its opposite openings, indicates the exterior diameter ofthe body 1-4 as well as discloses relatively the location of the 7 bristles, When projecting from the opposite ends of each hole 12a, respecting eachother-* and the superficial area of the body14. The" arrangement disclosed in Figure 7, formstance, of nine holes drilled completely through the cylindrical brush body, aflords on'its periphery eighteen bristle units in four I helical paths, comprising the opposite ends ofnine cable portions whose strands are per' mitted to unlay after these portions are se-l I cured in theirrespective nine holes 12a.

The central longitudinal opening 22 ex tending through the axes of each brush body 14, when desired tobe employed, will extend] Vertically through'the center of each horii zontally shown holej12ai1r-Figure 7," which center is diagrammatically in this figure at a point midway between the opposite ends of each hole 12a. While it may usually appear '11 that in this diagram visually that there would therefore be a number of such openings22,

such appearance due to the diagram, but

the projection of thisdiagram. into a cylinder would ren'der-such'centers' concentric and co-' ,j 'incident'with the longitudinal center-of the opening 22 pierced at difierentanglesby each:

hole 7 12a; The vertical spaces between the holes 12a shown inl igure 7represents the thicknessfot metal of the-brush body 14betweenholes at its center, :while this'smallin tervening space at the center" increases radi ally to the outer surface of brush body14 wherethe metal thickness between holes 12a is substantial. While this-outer thickness of metal between holes 12a .afl'ords ample strength for the brush body 1421s a whole, some such thickness is desirable at thecenter in order to vatlord in the essential small 'di-" ameter of body 14 ample interiorsurface in each hole 124; to exert the requisite binding engagement with its respective portion 12 of cable 10 forming; each bristle unit whense 12 indicates the strands which substantially' have not become unlayed bythe severance of the strand securing means 11.[

The brushbody 14 may be of any desired length. 'Ho-wever, for' cleaning curved or bent boiler and condenser tubes the body 14 preferab y r y short n a plural;

' through the neutral axis of each body 14. 1 A

boss-23, integral with each body .14 and surrounding each end of cable'driving means 21', has a screw 24 threaded'radially. through one side of each of said bosses 23 with its screw ends embedded into the. opposite ends of cable 21 to rigidly securesaid bodies 14"to opposite ends of said cable 21.

The remaining ends of bodies 14 are provided with bosses 25 whose exterior surfaces areaprovided with like screw threads so that either cap 26 or coupling 27 of handle or" flexible shaft 28 may-be screwed thereon. 1

The cap 26 protects the threads on the boss -25 to which the coupling 27 is not attached.

A threaded boss 25 :is located at each end of thebrush,-so that when thebrush is-passed; through a tube in one direction, the cap26 maybe removed and anothercoupling 27 of a" handle or flexible shaft may besubstituted jscrewg24, such boss is provided with external threads fittingcouplin'g 27 or cap 26.

The opposite ends of each hole 22 are;pro-

vided with tapers 29Jadaptedgto accommo-z q datethescone centers oft-he grindingspindle during the'grinding operation illustrated in;

It will be understood that instead of'se'cur-' ing thestra'nds of cable'lO by solderingb'ands or points'l'l, which preferably is done in such manner as not to increasethe diameter; of'cable "10, sa-id strandsmay' be secured in their cable form and-stress by'electric-spot no a welding or, in any'other convenient or desire] able manner.

From the foregoing'it willbe apparent,tot

those skilled in this art, that my improved method acontemplates and: includes the steps of securingtogetherthestrands of a wire cable 'at a plurality of points; and more specifically that such points be ofa distance apart somewhat greater than'the total length of each continuous length of bristles to be employed; and

Further includes the step of severinglsuch f wire cable at a point intermediate the area of each such securement; and more specifical-- ly that one'of said ends be'chamberedrfand Further contemplates andincludes the step of associating .a plurality of such 'cut cable lengths with a brush body; drilling or'other wise forming a plurality of holes-in said body no a each of a diameter into which acablelength may be driventightly and be held firmly; and more specifically that said bru'shbody' be round and said holesextend therethrough and that said cable lengths be so driven there= 1 in so asito extend substantially equally at opa forming stress of the strands or wires thereof, and that said relaxation will tend to increase their, securement' in their respective holes including the flaring of the loose end or ends of such strands or wires as formed parts of each of said cable lengths.

It will beappreciated that my improved method produces a'brush of superior quality, utility and service life at a very nominal production cost, and that when'the bristles have become worn beyond the degree of efficiency they may be readily removed,- replaced and trimmed by those relatively unskilled in the art: The brush hereinshown and described forms the subject matter of my divisional aplication hereof, Serial; No. 523,927,- filed lelarch 19, 1931. V

The invention herein described may, be manufactured and used by or for the Grovern: ment of the United States for governmental purposes Without the payment to me of any royalty thereon or therefor.

Having now so fully described my inven-'- tion that others skilled in the art may therefrom make and use the same, what. 'IQclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent' 1s: ltSteps in the method of making cleaners for boiler, condenser and other tubes, comprising securing ,the'strands of a cable ata' plurality of points to prevent the cable strands from unlaying and severing from the cable a length whose strands are secured.

2. Steps in'the method of making cleaners,

for boiler,-conden'ser 'and other'tubes, comprising securing the strands of a 'cable at a plurality of points to prevent the cable strands from unlaying, and severingfrom the cable a length whose strands are secured substantially at opposite ends. 3. Steps in the method of making cleaners I for boiler, condenser and other tubes, com

prising securing the strands of a;cable at a plurality of points to prevent the cable strands from unlaying, severing from the cable a plurality of lengths? whose strands are secured, and pointing'oneend of said lengths.

1 4. The method of making cleaners for boiler, condenser and other tubes from a brush body and a piece of cable, including the steps of drilling ahole in a brush body,-driving a cable length endwise into said hole while substantially maintaining the normalcable stress of the strands of said cable, and sub-.

having a pluralityof holes therein and a,

plurality of cableportions, including the step of placing a plurality of portions of wire cable one in each of said holes whose surface grips their respective cableportions substantially throughout the length of the holes with an end of each cable projecting from its hole in position to clean. 1

7. The method ofmaking cleaners for boiler and condenser tubes from a brush body having a plurality of holes extending therethrough and a plurality of cable portions, including the step of placing a plural-- ity of portions of wire cable one in each of c said holes whose surface'gripsthe'ir respective.

cable portions substantially throughout the length of the holes with each end ofieach portion of cable projecting from the opposite ends of its hole in position to clean. I

8. The method of'inaking cleaners for boiler and-condenser-rtubes of portions of wire cable and a brush body having openings therethrough, including the steps of insorting into said openings a plurality of portions of wire cable with substantially the normal cable stress ofthe strands thereof maintained and with the opposite ends of each of said portions projecting'from said body to forma cleaning surface, releasing said stress of the strands at the cleaning ends of said portions and maintaining said stress substantially throughout the lengths of said portions, and longitudinally moving relative to the brush body such of said cable portions as may have unequal stress imparted to their opposite ends.

9. Themethod of making of a holder and cableportions cleaners for boiler, condenser and other tubes including the steps of associating a plurality of several substantially straight portions of a wire cable in radial re lation about and extending substantiallythrough a: common axis of the holderwith the opposite ends of each portion in cleaning association and with the strands of each portion having their normal cable stress'substantially maintained, securing each-of saidportions in said associated relation substantially throughout the substantial extent of "the portions adjacent'the cleaningends, and subsequently releasing said stress 'of the strands of each of said portions attheir cleaning ends and maintaining said stress substantially throughout-the secured area of each of said portions. T

10. The method of making brushes from,

a holder and cable portions including the steps of placing in the holder a plurality of severed portionsof a cable indefinite relation to each other with an end of each portion projecting from the holder in position to, clean and With the strands of each portion having their normal cable stress substantial- 1y maintained, and trimming the projecting District of Columbia this tWenty-ninthday' of November 1929. I

GUYSBERT B. VROOM. V 

